I love the idea of wallpaper that invites you to color or otherwise customize it (again, returning to my functional walls obsession). Here are two favorites: On the left, from Fly, is an exhibition by happypets. The artists provide the line sketches and markers/crayons, and the viewers provide the color. On the right is actual, purchasable wallpaper ($40/double roll), from Graham & Brown (via Anh-minh, who always has cool finds). Designed by Taylor & Wood, “Frames” features whimsically drawn picture frames that you can fill with mini-paintings, photos, collages, 3-D collections (keys, shells, butterflies)–you name it.

“A wallpaper consisting of four layers of varying grey tones on a bright primary backing. Each layer is perforated in a grid format and backed with a tacky adhesive similar to ‘post-it’ notes.”

As you use the post-its, a pixelated pattern emerges on the wall. Needless to say, I loved the design immediately; unfortunately, it’s only a conceptual creation at this point, and not available for purchase.

So I was delighted when, thumbing through this month’s Martha Stewart Living, I found this DIY chalkboard calendar (below). I was struck by the visual & functional similarity to the Pixelnotes paper. In fact, I like the chalkboard even better, since it can be reused. You can also vary the placement, size of individual squares, & colors for something more artistic or abstract.

All you need is some black chalkboard paint, homemade white chalkboard paint, tape, and a brush. The full how-to explanation is available on MSL’s website, and also in the January issue of MSL (pages 130-134).

“Never and never, my girl riding far and near
In the land of the hearthstone tales, and spelled asleep,
Fear or believe that the wolf in a sheepwhite hood
Loping and bleating roughly and blithely shall leap,
My dear, my dear,
Out of a lair in the flocked leaves in the dew dipped year
To eat your heart in the house in the rosy wood.”

–Dylan Thomas, “In country sleep”

Fashion photographer Eugenio Recuenco‘s Caperucita Roja (above) inspired this theme. For a larger image and for more images from this series, visit Recuenco’s portfolio.

At left is an image of Faire Frou Frou’s Antique French Mirror. The custom security grills are by artist Kristina Kozak.

Shelterrific posted on a version of this piece (with a golden fang) recently, and I thought–perfect! The head of the big, bad wolf (only porcelain, because real animal heads frighten me).

If you’ve ever picked apples on a farm, or eaten fresh, unwaxed produce from the farmer’s market, you know how delicious local food can be. What’s more, eating local’s better for the environment and often less expensive.

Even those far from the farm can enjoy a local harvest. Many urban dwellers eat local by joining a CSA or shopping at farmer’s markets (find both at LocalHarvest.org). In addition, if you have some roof space, a balcony, or a sunny room, you can have a mini-garden of your own. Here are 6 tips to get started.

First, check out the following books. You Grow Girl is a pretty but solid gardening book by Gayla Trail (see also the info-packed You Grow Girl website). The highly rated McGee & Stuckey’s Bountiful Containers focuses on container kitchen gardening, while GRUB tells you how to prepare your sustainable eats (see also the GRUB website). For more general overviews of sustainable eating & living, read The Real Food Revival (read an excerpt here) and The Newman’s Own Organics Guide to a Good Life, co-written by Nell Newman.

You can also get used supplies at garage sales, on eBay, from family & friends (ask around–you’re bound to find someone who’s bought supplies they never use). If you have several friends in the same building with their own gardens, you can always share gardening tools.

Fourth, numerous blogs have mentioned the AeroGarden by AeroGrow International. It features “NASA-tested Aeroponic Technology”, and has daylight spectrum bulbs, making it perfect for those with darker apartments or blacker thumbs. AeroGrow offers seedpacks for chilis, cherry tomatoes, international basil, petunias, and garden greens, but my favorite is the pack for herbs (cilantro, chives, italian basil, red rubin basil, dill, mint, and parsley, pictured at right), which are expensive fresh and spoil quickly.

Fifth, the movie that taught me more about gardening than any other: Saving Grace. It’s not a great film, but for pure inspiration, nothing beats Grace’s (a winning Brenda Blethyn) heroic rescue of a marijuana plant.

Sixth, learn more about kitchen gardens and eating a local diet (aka “the 100-mile diet“) by visiting the following six blogs:

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